function
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English
Etymology
From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/, /ˈfʌŋkʃn̩/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈfʌŋkʃən/, ,
Audio (US): (file) - Hyphenation: func‧tion
- Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən
Noun
function (plural functions)
- What something does or is used for.
- 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
- Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
- 2014 May 1, Jenna Pitcher, “Glu Mobile acquires Diner Dash developer PlayFirst”, in Polygon, archived from the original on 2023-09-27:
- Glu Mobile, who realigned its workforce towards centralized GaaS functions last year, announced earlier this month that it will shut down GameSpy Technology on May 31. The service provides multiplayer functionality for dozens of games on consoles, computers and mobile devices.
- A professional or official position.
- Synonyms: occupation, office, part, role
- An official or social occasion.
- Synonyms: affair, occasion, social occasion, social function
- Our hotel is hosting a function for all the warehouse workers on the night of April 18.
- Something which is dependent on or stems from another thing; a result or concomitant.
- 2008 June 1, A. Dirk Moses, “Preface”, in Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page x:
- Though most of the cases here cover European encounters with non-Europeans, it is not the intention of the book to give the impression that genocide is a function of European colonialism and imperialism alone.
- A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
- (mathematics) A relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
- Synonyms: map, mapping, mathematical function, operator, transformation
- Hypernyms: relation, morphism
- (computing) A routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
- Synonyms: procedure, routine, subprogram, subroutine, func, funct
- (biology) The physiological activity of an organ or body part.
- (chemistry) The characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
- (anthropology) The role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.
Hyponyms
astronomy: Hyponyms of function
- (chemistry): acidity function
computing: Hyponyms of function
- anonymous function
- Boolean function
- built-in function
- complexity function
- computable function
- concave function
- constructor function
- convex function
- error function
- first-class function
- Hartley function
- lacunary function
- predefined function
- Ramanujan theta function
- recursive function
- restricted function
- second-class function
- set function
- switch function
- third-class function
- transition function
- user-defined function
logic: Hyponyms of function
management: Hyponyms of function
mathematics: Hyponyms of function
- additive function
- aggregate function
- algebraic function
- alternating function
- analytic function
- anonymous function
- Baire function
- bei function
- ber function
- Bessel function
- beta function
- Bloch function
- bounded function
- boxcar function
- Brillouin function
- Cantor function
- characteristic function
- Chebyshev function
- circular function
- comparable function
- complementary function
- composite function
- connect function
- constant function
- constraint function
- contiguous function
- continuous function
- correlation function
- cost function
- critical function
- cylinder function
- decreasing function
- delta function
- density function
- describing function
- differentiable function
- discriminant function
- dissipation function
- distance function
- distribution function
- driving-point function
- eigenfunction
- elementary function
- Emden function
- entire function
- Euler's phi function
- even function
- explicit function
- exponential function
- first-class function
- form function
- Fowler function
- frontogenetic function
- gamma function
- generating function
- Green's function
- Hamiltonian function
- Hankel function
- harmonic function
- hei function
- her function
- Hildebrand function
- homogeneous function
- Hugoniot function
- hyperbolic function
- hypergeometric function
- identity function
- implicit function
- impulse function
- incidence function
- increasing function
- independent function
- influence function
- inner function
- integrable function
- integral function
- invariant function
- inverse function
- inverting function
- J function
- jump function
- kei function
- ker function
- Koebe function
- Lagrangian function
- Lamé function
- Legendre function
- Leverett function
- linear function
- Liouville function
- loss function
- Lyapunov function
- mass function
- Massieu function
- Mathieu function
- measurable function
- membership function
- meromorphic function
- microspec function
- Möbius function
- monotone function
- multilinear function
- natural function
- Neumann function
- normalized function
- normalized support function
- number-theoretic function
- objective function
- odd function
- one-way function
- orthogonal function
- orthonormal function
- partial function
- partition function
- Patterson function
- penalty function
- periodic function
- Planck function
- point function
- polynomial function
- power function
- principal function
- psi function
- quadratic function
- Rademacher function
- random function
- rational function
- real function
- recursive function
- regular function
- Riemann function
- Riemann P function
- sample function
- scalar function
- self-organizing function
- sensitivity function
- shear-viscosity function
- sigma function
- signum function
- simple function
- single-valued function
- sinusoidal function
- Smarandache function
- special function
- step function
- stream function
- stress function
- summable function
- support function
- symmetric function
- test function
- theta function
- torsion function
- transcendental function
- transfer function
- transmission function
- trigonometric cofunction
- trigonometric function
- truth function
- unit function
- universal wavelength function
- variadic function
- vector function
- Wannier function
- Weierstrass function
- weight function
- zeta function
physics: Hyponyms of function
- (psychology): executive ego function
- (signal processing): spectral density function/spectral function
- (systems theory): control function
Derived terms
terms derived from function (some belong in Hyponyms section above)
- Ackermann function
- activation function
- adaptive-control function
- analytical function generator
- anatomy of function
- antihyperbolic function
- antitrigonometric function
- arc-hyperbolic function
- arithmetic function
- bent function
- bifunctional
- binary function
- black-box function
- bodily function
- Borel function
- busy beaver function
- ceil function
- ceiling function
- choice function
- cofunction
- complex function
- consumption function
- cubic function
- cumulative distribution function
- derived function
- Dickman function
- difunctional
- digamma function
- diode function generator
- Dirac delta function
- Dirichlet eta function
- divisor function
- dysfunction
- eigenfunction expansion
- electron wave function
- elliptic function
- empty function
- Euler's totient function
- executive function
- exponential generating function
- feedback transfer function
- floor function
- forcing function
- forward transfer function
- functional
- functionalism
- functionality
- function code
- function-evaluation routine
- function failure safety
- function generator
- functionhood
- function key
- function multiplier
- function object
- function overloading
- function pointer
- function space
- function switch
- function table
- function unit
- function value
- function word
- Gabor function
- gain-of-function
- gain of function
- gain-of-function research
- Gaussian function
- general-purpose function generator
- generic function
- Hammett acidity function
- Hann function
- hash function
- Heaviside unit function
- Helmholtz function
- Herbrand function
- higher-order function
- homogenous function
- hybrid wave function
- implicit function theorem
- inclusion function
- indicator function
- initial mass function
- inverse function theorem
- inverse hyperbolic function
- inverse trigonometric function
- iterated function system
- Kelvin function
- K-function
- lambda function
- Lambert W function
- liver function test
- logarithmic function
- logarithmic trigonometric function
- logistic function
- loop transfer function
- malfunction
- malfunction routine
- member function
- mimic function
- minimal brain dysfunction syndrome
- Mittag-Leffler function
- moment-generating function
- monofunctional compound
- monotonic function
- Morse function
- multifunction array radar
- onto function
- pairing function
- partial function application
- payoff function
- physically unclonable function
- physical unclonable function
- platelet function test
- polygamma function
- positive linear functional
- Prandtl-Meyer function
- probability density function
- probability mass function
- programmed function key
- pulmonary function test
- pure virtual function
- quartic function
- quintic function
- radial distribution function
- radicofunctional name
- Riemann zeta-function
- Riemann zeta function
- Schrödinger wave function
- Schur function
- second-class function
- separated-function synchrotron
- sharpness function technique
- sigmoid function
- sign function
- sink function
- Skolem function
- smooth function
- spatial wave function
- step-function generator
- strictly decreasing function
- strictly increasing function
- subfunctional
- surjective function
- tapped-potentiometer function generator
- thermodynamic function of state
- time-constructible function
- tool-function controller
- total function
- trapdoor function
- trigamma function
- Turing computable function
- Turing function
- utility function
- valuation function
- variable diode function generator
- virtual function
- vital function
- von Mangoldt function
- Walsh function
- window function
- work function
- Zarankiewicz function
Related terms
terms derived from function
Translations
what something does or is used for
|
professional or official position
|
official or social occasion
|
relation where one thing is dependent on another
|
mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
|
computing: routine that returns a result
|
biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
|
chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
|
References
Verb
function (third-person singular simple present functions, present participle functioning, simple past and past participle functioned)
- (intransitive) To have a function.
- (intransitive) To carry out a function; to be in action.
- Synonyms: go, operate, run, work
- Antonym: malfunction
- 1991, Kenneth G Ross, Robert W Matthews, The social biology of wasps:
- Although the laying workers functioned in a queenlike manner, they were unable to suppress ovarian development as effectively as the queen.
Related terms
Translations
to have a function
|
to carry on a function
|
Middle French
Noun
function f (plural functions)
- function (what something's intended use is)